Monster Hunter Rise offers a diverse arsenal of 14 unique weapons, each drastically altering the hunting experience. Mastering your weapon of choice is crucial for success, especially when playing with friends. Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or a fresh-faced recruit, this guide provides a brief overview of each weapon to help you choose your ideal hunting companion.
A hunter fighting a fights a beast in monster hunter wilds.
Melee Weapons
Great Sword
The Great Sword, a franchise staple, delivers devastating charged attacks and offers a sturdy block. While slow, its immense power rewards patience and precise timing. Mastering the Great Sword requires bravery and a keen understanding of monster attack patterns.
Long Sword
The Long Sword combines elegance and power. Its fluid moveset allows for stylish dodges and counterattacks, reminiscent of action games. Wide sweeps effectively clear smaller mobs and strike multiple monster parts simultaneously. Landing attacks charges a spirit gauge, unleashing powerful combo attacks.
Sword and Shield
Ideal for newcomers, the Sword and Shield offers a balanced approach. Fast attacks, a reliable block, and agile dodges make it versatile. Uniquely, it allows item use without sheathing, providing crucial flexibility in the heat of battle.
Dual Blades
The Dual Blades prioritize speed and aggression. Demon and Archdemon gauges amplify attack power and speed as you land blows. This weapon thrives on relentless offense, overwhelming monsters with a flurry of strikes.
Hammer
The Hammer, a blunt-force powerhouse, delivers stunning blows that can quickly exhaust or stun monsters. While lacking a guard, its mobility and targeted attacks make it a formidable choice for disrupting monster movements.
Hunting Horn
The Hunting Horn is a support-focused weapon best suited for coordinated teams. Playing melodies buffs both the user and allies, requiring battlefield awareness and strategic timing. Mastering the Hunting Horn demands knowledge of various buffs and monster weaknesses.
Lance
The Lance excels at defense, allowing attacks from behind a large shield. While sacrificing speed and raw damage, its precise thrusts efficiently target and wound monster limbs, creating exploitable weaknesses.
Gunlance
The Gunlance combines the Lance’s defensive capabilities with explosive firepower. Shelling attacks offer extended range and tactical options, complemented by a useful dodge. This weapon provides a unique blend of defense and offense.
Switch Axe
The Switch Axe transforms between a heavy axe and a swift sword, offering adaptable combat. While neither form excels in its respective category, the Switch Axe’s versatility and explosive attacks cater to diverse playstyles.
Charge Blade
The Charge Blade, a complex transforming weapon, shifts between axe, sword, and shield modes. Mastering its intricate combos and energy management system requires dedication, but the payoff is immense power.
Ranged Weapons
Light Bowgun
The Light Bowgun prioritizes mobility and rapid fire, dealing sustained damage from a safe distance. Landing shots charges a Rapid Fire ability for devastating bursts of damage. Ammo management is crucial for maximizing effectiveness.
Heavy Bowgun
The Heavy Bowgun excels in long-range combat, ideally suited for team hunts where others draw aggro. While possessing an auto-guard, its true strength lies in sniping monsters with specialized ammo from afar.
Bow
The Bow rewards skillful stamina management and positioning. Perfect dodges replenish stamina, encouraging close-range combat. The unique tracer shot marks targets, causing subsequent arrows to home in, culminating in an explosive finale.
Aerial Weapon
Insect Glaive
The Insect Glaive embraces Monster Hunter Rise’s enhanced verticality. Leaping and spinning through the environment, it makes mounting monsters effortless. Extracting essences from monsters with the Kinsect is essential for boosting damage output.
This guide provides a starting point for choosing your weapon in Monster Hunter Rise. Experimentation and practice in the training area are essential for discovering your preferred playstyle and mastering your chosen weapon. Happy Hunting!